This barrel-aged Belgian-style quadrupel is big and bold, rich and decadent, complex, unique — everything you could ask for in a high-strength beer. Those who enjoyed the previously released Sucaba barleywine from Firestone will find much to appreciate with Stickee Monkee.

Sold in a 22-ounce bottle, the ale pours a dark brown color with some red highlights and forms a healthy tan head that fades quickly, which is typical for higher-strength beers. Dark sugar and fruit aromas hit the nose immediately, with a rum-like background.

Stickee Monkee is made with a mixture of Turbinado brown sugar from Mexico and Belgian candi sugar that gives the beer a strong molasses flavor without being sickeningly sweet. Behind the molasses are notes of vanilla, oak, bourbon, caramel, cherry, plum, dates and rum. Yum!

An English ale yeast is used to ferment the beer, which makes a big difference in the flavor and aroma. There are usually strong banana-bubblegum aspects in Belgian ales from the use of Belgian yeast, which are not present here. Their lack makes the dark sugar and malt flavors pop out more in Stickee Monkee. A fairly low use of hops also contributes to this.

The beer does not quite live up to its name, however, but that's a good thing. While it is a heavy-bodied beer, it is not overly thick or syrupy. It is slightly less carbonated than most beers, which is just right for this style. There is a hint of alcohol in the finish, but not like what you might expect from a 13-plus ABV beer.

Stickee Monkee is part of Firestone's Proprietor's Vintage Series. Coming this fall is Velvet Merkin, a bourbon-barrel aged oatmeal stout. Parabola, a barrel-aged Russian imperial stout, might still be hanging around stores, but it was released in March. Other releases included Winter Wookey, Helldorado, Parabajava, Good Foot and many others.

Firestone Walker beers are distributed in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, Illinois, Colorado, Nevada, Idaho, Michigan and Utah; however, Sucaba is also expected to introduced into Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Virginia, Baltimore, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. A zip code beer finder link is at www.firestonebeer.com/find. Only 3,500 cases of Stickee Monkee were produced.

Beer Man sez: The rich and delicious flavors of Stickee Monkee will drive you bananas.

—Todd Haefer of Scandinavia gets paid to drink beer and write about it. He can be reached at beerman@postcrescent.com. Read past reviews at www.postcrescent.com/beerman.